Page 179 of Show Me

No teasing. No weird comments about where she slept last night. Nobody says a word about the fact she’s moving her stuff into my room, which makes it feel more real.

I grab her bag before she can argue and toss it into the backseat. “You ready?”

“Yeah.” Ruby looks back at the house one more time. The plastic over the window crackles in the wind.

Sam steps back from the truck. “Call if you need anything.”

“We will,” I say.

Ruby glances at me briefly at the window. I ignore it and start the truck.

As we pull out of the driveway, she exhales beside me. “Feels weird leaving.”

“You’ll be back.”

“Hopefully with fewer rocks.”

“That’s the plan. Hart has a window waiting at the store. I’ll pick it up after I grab my tools and get the broken one replaced later this morning.”

“Thank you.” She is quiet for another minute. “You’re really okay with me staying?”

The question shouldn’t hit as hard as it does. But it does. Because underneath it, I hear the real question. Is this becoming too much?

I dig my fingertips into the steering wheel. “Yeah.” No hesitation. No qualifiers. Just the truth. “As long as it takes.”

Chapter Ninety-Four

Ruby

Several Days Later

The office smells like sawdust and coffee. And pastries. I’ve decided that's the official scent of construction work. That, and adhesive, and whatever combination of cedar dust and sweat Xavier manages to carry with him every day.

Mr. Cole sits behind his desk with invoices spread across every available surface, reading glasses low on his nose as he marks something with a pen. Its normalcy helps for a minute.

Until I remember I didn’t wake up in my own house this morning. I woke up in Xavier’s. He doesn’t ask if I want coffee anymore. He hands me my mug before I have a chance to make it myself.

He doesn’t ask how I like my eggs. He cooks until there’s no hint of runny yolk and just enough pepper because that's how I eat them.

My shampoo sits beside his in the shower. My toothbrush is next to his. There’s a drawer in his dresser with my clothes folded inside.

Squirt doesn’t even hesitate anymore. He trots straight to the blanket at the end of his bed every night like he’s claimed the spot as his own.

When it’s just us.... Everything feels easy. Comfortable. Natural. Like we’ve slipped into a life neither of us meant to build, but neither of us questions anymore.

Then someone else walks into the room. One of the guys. His dad. Ben wandering into the kitchen in search of coffee. Sam grabbing leftovers out of the refrigerator. And something changes.

Nothing obvious. Nothing anyone else would notice.

He still smiles at me. Still asks if I slept okay. Still makes sure I’ve eaten. But the little things disappear.

His hand doesn’t settle at the small of my back when we move around each other in the kitchen. Our shoulders don’t brush as often. He leaves a little more space between us. He becomes... careful. Like whatever exists between us is only supposed to exist when no one else is looking.

I don’t think he’s embarrassed by me. I think he’s terrified of everyone seeing us as a couple. And the problem is… that’s no better.

I’m halfway through answering emails when Mr. Cole clears his throat. “Ruby.”

I glance up. “Yeah?”